Friday, 17 June 2011

Up until what level would you play this?

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7?! is the Jerome Gambit, which was played during the 19th century. It is completely unsound, and I found only won win for White in my database (which I will give below). However it is only unsound against strong opposition and may be effective against weaker opponents. Is this an acceptable approach to playing chess, or is the game about 'absolute' truth?
At a junior club I coach at there is a player who either plays this or even an accelerated version of it (1.e4, 2.Bc4, 3.Bxf7+) I have told him it is unsound, and will not work against strong opponents, and he accepts this. However he argues that it works against almost all of his opponents, which is true. It also helps him learn some attacking ideas, that may be useful as he improves. So at this stage I'm not to doctrinaire with him on what is 'proper' and what is not. I'm also assuming that a couple of bad losses in serious competition will eventually show him the folly of his ways.
The following game was the only win I found for White in this line. It was played by Henry Charlick (from Adelaide) and is one of a number of games where he showed some inventive opening ideas. I have no idea where the notes for the game have come from, but am assuming they may be the original notes from when the game was first published in the local press.

The Jerome Gambit can be a fun way for a couple of friends or club mates to while away some time (especially at blitz), as long as neither takes the opening too seriously.

Just like E.J. Diemer referred to his Blackmar Diemer Gambit as a "high school for tactics" the Jerome Gambit can be seen as a sort of "pre-school for tactics".

If your student has not yet discovered my Jerome Gambit blog (where I have posted daily for over 3 years) you might want to point it out to him, jeromegambit.blogspot.com. Or not, as you see fit.

A stronger player can also give "Jerome Gambit odds" to a weaker player, also, to even out the contest. Perhaps the most notorious such game was played by the Mexican champion Andres Clemente Vazquez, who once gave "Jerome Gambit plus Rook odds"